Are you fed up with trekking off to the office each morning? Do you fancy spending a little more time with the kids? Or maybe you're interested in working for yourself rather than a local business or a big corporation? If so, you may be one of the many people considering whether a career at home is right for you.

The growth of the Internet and opportunities for fast communication and easy transfer of information have led to a boom in telecommuting -- the practice of working from home, relying on electronic means to stay in contact with employers and co-workers. Many people also consider starting a private business from home, and dream of becoming entrepreneurs in the online as well as the offline world. But does a home career really bring the freedom that people dream of?

Making a success of a home career calls for a special combination of skills and self discipline. If you're thinking of establishing yourself as a home worker, take the opportunity to ask advice from those with experience in this type of arrangement. Find out about the challenges it can pose and the motivation required to work productively. You also need to know which job opportunities are right for your personality and interests -- and which you should avoid. Make sure you know what expenses and liabilities you will encounter and check local laws to find out how they affect your operating a business from your home.

The idea of working from home has a special appeal for those people who thrive on independence in their working lives. It's an arrangement that works well for employers who measure success through the timely achievement of objectives rather than employee observation. Home based workers may be able to benefit from a degree of flexibility in their working hours to combine professional duties and domestic commitments more easily than their office-based counterparts.

However attractive such advantages may seem, working at home also presents special challenges that may not be immediately apparent to the uninitiated. It can be a shock to the system to have to manage your own work schedule without the structure and support of office routines. Working from home can also be a lonely business: it's easy to underestimate how much one comes to depend on the social and professional support of convivial colleagues.

It's almost inevitable that a home career will impinge in some way on domestic arrangements. It's likely that you'll need a dedicated work space -- or at least an area where you can operate in privacy -- and don't forget to factor in the costs of necessary office equipment and supplies. Combining the needs of children with a home based career also requires special consideration. You may still need help with child care to enable you to work efficiently.

If you want to set yourself up in a home based business, make sure to educate yourself about problems that can beset the unwary. While many have found success with bona fide opportunities, there are also reports of unfortunate entrepreneurs who have been caught up in fraudulent schemes. Get good advice about how to distinguish a home business scam from a genuine opportunity.